Durham College in 2023 – a Year in Review

It was another eventful year at Durham College (DC). From our innovative programs to our stellar student athletes and beyond, we continued to lead the way. Read on for more of DC’s highlights from 2023.


News

DC’s state-of-the-art facilities continued to grow this year. We celebrated the opening of the Centre for Innovation and Research (CIR), a new home for our Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE). The Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture’s Ajax Urban Farm was officially unveiled to help address the issues of food literacy and security in Durham Region and beyond. And we introduced two new modern and collaborative learning spaces at our Whitby campus – PROTO and an Electrical Vehicle (EV) Lab.

We raised the final $10 million to complete the Building for Skills Campaign, which increased the training capacity on the Whitby campus with the construction of the state-of-the-art Ontario Power Generation Centre for Skilled Trades and Technology. It was a fitting gift for the campus, which celebrated its 30th anniversary this year.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited our Whitby campus for an intimate town hall event with more than 100 DC students, as well as some local high school students. The DC dental clinic received a visit from Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra and Member of Parliament for Whitby Ryan Turnbull to discuss the 2023 federal budget and the new Canadian Dental Care Plan.

There was also some bittersweet news. After 15 years of leading the way, DC president Don Lovisa announced he would be leaving DC in early 2024.


Accolades

Our students and alumni continued to make us proud with their success.

Music Business Management alumna Anne Stirk was recognized with a place on the inaugural Women in Music Canada Honour Roll.

At the Ontario Community Newspaper Association’s (OCNA) Better Newspapers Competition, the Chronicle took home top honours in ‘General Excellence’ among college and university newspapers for the third consecutive year. Joey Cole won first in ‘Student News Writing’ and Corrado Distefano earned second place in ‘Student Photography’.

Five students won medals at the 2023 Skills Ontario Competition. Abigayle Hamilton and Emma Pace moved on to the Skills Canada National Competition and brought home silver medals in the Horticulture and Landscape (Team of 2) category.

Two of DC’s culinary students were named Canada’s best new student chefs at Taste Canada’s Cooks the Books Student Culinary Competition. 

DC received its own accolades this year. We were named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers, a Greater Toronto Top Employer, and one of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges.


Programs

We did our part to address Ontario’s critical healthcare staffing demands with two new initiatives designed to increase the number of qualified nursing professionals in the province. We’re also helping Ontario prepare for the $10-a-day child care boom with a new program that allows Early Childhood Educators (ECE) to complete their education without leaving the workforce.

We partnered with The Schulich Foundation for a new scholarship program, Schulich Builders, dedicated to students pursuing a career in the skilled trades. In another new initiative, we partnered with Johnson Controls to provide Electromechanical Engineering Technology students with financial support as well as mentorship opportunities.

With DoorDash, we launched the DoorDash #BlackFoodEnergy Culinary Scholarship to support domestic and international Black students in DC’s Culinary Management diploma program.

Our Journalism – Mass Media program marked its 50th anniversary this year, and continues to evolve each year to reflect a constantly shifting industry.


Experiential learning

DC continued to offer students a multitude of opportunities for experiential learning.

First responders, community partners, faculty members and 30 students from DC’s Firefighter – Pre-Service Education and Training program took part in a two-day training event to learn how to respond to emergency situations involving electric vehicles (EV).

Four Fine Arts students spent the summer transforming the L Wing with their artistic talent, creating murals and paintings that now adorn the hallways.

The RBC Urban Agriculture Work Integrated Learning Program gave eight students the chance to launch innovative urban agriculture projects.

A number of students had the opportunity to participate in Faculty-led Classroom Abroad (FLCA) trips. Dental Hygiene students travelled to Costa Rica, while students from the Faculty of Media, Art and Design (MAD) travelled to Las Arrugas, Guatemala.


Events

A new tradition began with a celebration of donors and the students they help at the first President’s Breakfast. DC foodies had a rare opportunity to be served by Canada’s Top Chef when Tre Sanderson presented a delicious four-course meal at Bistro ’67.

The Cypher: Black Male Empowerment Conference was a life-changing day for 400 students in Grades 7 to 10 from the Durham District School Board (DDSB). The “We Love Entrepreneurs” event was a chance for young entrepreneurs to showcase their wares and share their stories in a panel discussion. 

Our DC alumni family grew at both Spring and Fall Convocation, with thousands of new graduates crossing the stage. While their DC journeys ended, others began at our Open House events in the Spring and Fall, where thousands of prospective students and their families learned about our 145+ career-driven programs.


Athletics

All four of our basketball and volleyball teams finished in the top ten of their respective Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) rankings, and the women’s volleyball team brought home provincial silver.

The 2023 Fall season was a dominant one, with both rugby teams notching undefeated regular seasons. It was a great season for our athletes, with three Lords being named OCAA Players of the Year and soccer’s Sage Thomas-Roberts earning Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) All-Canadian status.

In the spring, we bid farewell to DC’s long time athletic director Ken Babcock. Upon his retirement, our state-of-the-art softball field was named in his honour.

Babcock and former soccer coach Stan Bombino were inducted into the OCAA Hall of Fame. Meanwhile, rugby standout Emily Cooper was named OCAA Female Rookie of the Year for the 2022-23 season.


It was a year to remember at DC, and we can’t wait to see what 2024 holds.


DC’s Social Impact Hub helps alumnus launch Surviving Addiction docuseries

Durham College’s (DC) Social Impact Hub has partnered with DC alumnus, Chris Cull, to launch his docuseries, Surviving Addiction, which shares different perspectives of those touched by addiction and the humanity behind people’s individual experiences.

Cull, a graduate of DC’s HVAC Techniques program, is an advocate for mental health and addiction awareness, as well as the founder of Inspire by Example, a digital library of lived experiences aimed at providing hope and resources for those impacted by addiction.

“Having spent over eight years living with opioid addiction and now 10 years working in mental health and addiction, I’ve experienced being the person living it, being the family member of someone with a substance use disorder, and the frontline healthcare worker who advises on federal, provincial and local strategies in the mental health and addiction field,” said Cull. “Within all of that, I’ve learned the different ways in which addiction can impact someone and I wanted to create this docuseries as a way to reach those who are currently struggling.”

The Social Impact Hub is one of DC’s applied research centres, and its work is focused on identifying creative solutions to complex social problems such as addiction and building relationships with community agencies tackling social justice issues.

“We’re extremely proud to support the creation of Surviving Addiction,” said Colleen McKay, manager, Grants and Special Projects, Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, where the Social Impact Hub resides. “Working with community partners like Chris is crucial to inform the collaborative efforts of our project teams who work on various applied research and knowledge mobilization initiatives.”

Collaborative projects between DC’s Social Impact Hub and the community also provide a learning opportunity for DC students. Denice Quimbo, research associate in the Social Impact Hub and recent DC graduate says working on this project has given her and current students invaluable experience by applying their skills on a project that positively impacts viewers.

“Along with two students in DC’s Journalism – Mass Media program, we helped film the docuseries over the summer, which provided us a chance to use the skills we learned in the classroom,” she said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to work on a project that I believe will make a difference in the lives of those who are watching.”

Cull agreed that the support provided through the Social Impact Hub helped bring his vision to life. “Working with the Social Impact Hub has been an amazing experience,” Cull shared. “The students approached the project with hungry curiosity and were instrumental in shaping what the project has become. I’m exceptionally grateful for all of the support that helped drive my vision.”

The first episode of Surviving Addiction is available online and new episodes will be added on an ongoing basis.


Durham College applied research fueled through $2.1 million Mobilize funding grant

Durham College’s (DC) applied research centres will further their work in solving industry and social challenges through innovation and collaboration, thanks to a $2.1 million federal grant.

The Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) received the funding from the College and Community Innovation (CCI) program’s Mobilize grant, which will be doled out over the next five years.

Mobilize funding has a number of objectives, from growing research capacity to fostering inclusive work environments. ORSIE will use the grant to further increase research and innovation training opportunities for students.

“This funding is critical. It anchors everything that we do in all of our applied research centres,” explained Debbie McKee Demczyk, dean, Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. “It allows us to maintain a competitive edge. We’ve got expert staff and researchers, and companies know that we’re here to support them and we’re not going anywhere.”

The CCI program is managed by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) in collaboration with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).  

ORSIE’s applied research centres include the AI Hub, Centre for Craft Brewing Innovation, MRC Studio, Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation and Social Impact Hub. Learn more at www.durhamcollege.ca/orsie. To learn more about ORSIE, read the 2022-2023 Annual Report.


Durham College is leading the way as one of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges

For a remarkable tenth time, Durham College (DC) has been recognized as one of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges by Research Infosource Inc.

DC placed 19th on the Top 50 list, up from 37th last year. That jump was powered by our tremendous 116.3% increase in year-over-year research income, proving that we’re leading the way in applied research. Among medium-sized colleges, DC secured second place for the number of paid student researchers, seventh for completed research projects, and eighth for research partnerships.

DC’s Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE) leads applied research initiatives and helps solve industry and social challenges with innovation and collaboration by engaging industry, faculty, students and the community-at-large in research projects to address the needs of a technology-driven knowledge economy. Notable research accomplishments for this year include:

  • Opening the Centre for Innovation and Research, which is now home to ORSIE and four of six applied research centres, including the AI Hub, Centre for Cybersecurity Innovation, Mixed Reality Capture Studio and the Social Impact Hub, as well as the Institutional Research Team and the Experiential Learning Hub.
  • Receiving a Technology Access Centres (TAC) grant from the College and Community Innovation (CCI) program. DC’s AI Hub will receive $350,000 per year over the next five years, creating new opportunities to enrich student training, support skills acquisition and launch new services.
  • Continuing to develop more creative and meaningful applied research projects and co-operative education work-terms for students in a growing number of host sites, supported in part through the Diane Blake Student Success Initiative.

“This is an acknowledgement of the tremendous expertise that we have developed here in ORSIE across our research centres,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, dean, ORSIE. “It’s also a testament to the relationships that we’ve developed in the business community, the organizations that trust us to do this important work to help them to grow and innovate and be efficient and productive, all while supporting student learning.”

To learn more about DC’s applied research centres, visit www.durhamcollege.ca/orsie.

To learn more about ORSIE, read the 2022-2023 Annual Report.


DC marks the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women 2023

Today, Durham College (DC) joins communities across Canada to mark the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. It is a time to honour the 14 women killed at Polytechnique Montréal in 1989 and reflect on all the women whose lives have been taken by or affected by gender-based violence.

To mark this significant date, DC will hold a memorial ceremony on campus to honour the lives lost. The flags at both the Oshawa and Whitby campuses have also been lowered to half-mast.

On this day of significance, we encourage members of our DC community to take a moment to reflect,” says Don Lovisa, president. “By amplifying the voices of survivors of gender-based violence, we can work together to end violence against women.”

Durham College is committed to creating a safe campus community, free of all forms of violence. All members of the DC community are encouraged to speak out against harmful behaviours to help end gender-based violence in our communities.


DC marketing students win big at provincial marketing competition

Over 20 marketing students from Durham College’s (DC) Faculty of Business put their skills to the test last month during the 2023 Ontario Colleges Marketing Competition (OCMC), the largest and most prestigious marketing competition for college students. This was the first time DC had a full team attend the competition and compete in all 11 categories – placing in three of them.

The DC team had many notable accomplishments during the competition – including ranking second in the Prospect Pitch category, third in the Retail Marketing category, and fifth in the Marketing category. For the first time, DC’s high-ranking team included two first-year students, including Shara James, a mature learner from Jamaica who’s completing her first year of DC’s Business – Marketing diploma program.

“Being a member of the OCMC team was an awesome experience, especially since I was only one of two first-year students ever chosen to represent DC in the competition,” said James. “Not only did I place second in the Prospect Pitch category with fellow-student Chiara Moore, but I also made some amazing friends. When I decided to enter, I never imagined it would have been such a life changing experience.”

OCMC attracts more than 300 participants from 13 colleges across the province. A dozen different case categories challenge the competitors to think creatively and strategically within set guidelines, testing their ability to work well under pressure and to leverage the skills they’ve gained inside the classroom.

Jonathan Carrigan, marketing professor and program coordinator at DC, said the experience of competing at this event is a great way for students to test their marketing expertise, enhance their confidence and resiliency, and develop critical skills that they will rely on in their future fields.

“I’m extremely proud of the outstanding work our students displayed at OCMC this year,” said Carrigan. “Witnessing a full team compete at OCMC was very rewarding and it goes to show the level of enthusiasm and passion our students have for what they do.”

Carrigan also praised the team lead, Meghan Scanlon, who was instrumental in organizing the team’s participation. “Meghan was the driving force behind this year’s recruitment efforts, she led the design and production of our team sweaters, organized team spirit initiatives, helped with critical communications, and so much more,” he added. “Meghan has proven herself to be a true leader, a fierce competitor, and an amazing human being.”

Scanlon credited the team’s success to the hard work from each member, “Seeing the amount of hard work, effort, and dedication that each team member put in was tremendous, they should be proud of themselves,” she shared. “They all dominated the competition, showed a high level of ambition and left a mark that made all of us #DCProud.”


Durham College recognized for leading the way with 2024 Greater Toronto’s Top Employer award

DC innovation and success fueled by passionate and collaborative team of employees

Oshawa, ON – For the 13th time, Durham College (DC) has been recognized as a Greater Toronto Top Employer, underscoring DC’s continued commitment to supporting employee well-being and development and creating a collaborative, inclusive organizational culture.

“This award affirms what we at DC already know – that Durham College is an exceptional place to work,” said Don Lovisa, president, DC. “I am very proud of our continued efforts to support employees’ personal and professional growth and to provide a forum to engage in important discussions that help enhance our work and benefit our community.”  

This year’s application highlighted DC’s efforts to explore new opportunities for collaboration and engagement among employees by facilitating meaningful discussions to build connection and foster a culture of innovation. These conversations led to the launch of an online Wellness Directory which brings together wellness supports available to students and employees and kickstarted valuable exploration and integration of Generative AI into our teaching and learning practices.

Achievements recognized this year also benefit not only DC but the broader community. This includes the completion of the $10 million Building for Skills Campaign which allowed DC to increase training capacity to help address Canada’s skilled trades gap and the opening of the Barrett Centre for Innovation in Sustainable Agriculture’s first urban farm project which supports community food security.

“The innovation and success of these projects — and all work at DC — is driven by an exceptionally dedicated and passionate team of employees who work tirelessly on behalf of our students and our community,” said Lovisa.

The selection committee also acknowledged DC for its family-friendly policies, tuition assistance for employees and their dependents, defined benefit pension plan with employer-matched contributions and retirement planning assistance.

More information can be found on DC’s Greater Toronto Top Employers profile.


Dental students make friends and memories in Costa Rica

For 11 Durham College (DC) Dental Hygiene students, a Faculty-led Classroom Abroad (FLCA) trip to Costa Rica was a rewarding way to spend Reading Week in October.

FLCA trips are just one of the many experiential learning opportunities that are available to DC students. By immersing themselves in their chosen field, as well as a new country and culture, they can hone the skills they’ve learned in the classroom, gain real-world work experience and make lasting memories.

Students were joined by dental professor Lisa Frisch and program coordinator Jennifer Kellett for the trip, a partnership with Costa Rica Global Learning Programs. They travelled to multiple locations throughout the country, from urban centres to the countryside, an Indigenous community and the Caribbean seaside.

“The students had a really incredible opportunity to go into a very culturally diverse population where we didn’t speak the language,” said Kellett. “It was a whole different experience for them.”

Despite the language barrier, the DC group received a warm welcome everywhere they went.

“The people that we met there were just so incredible, so giving and warm and hospitable,” she said.

Though not able to practice dentistry outside of Canada, the students and faculty provided oral hygiene instruction and education and brought lots of supplies to share with the communities they visited. Their stops included a homeless shelter, a teenage rehab center, a daycare centre, a private practice and a community health clinic.

“It’s a strong community and they value oral health, but just like here in Canada there are many gaps in the system and there are many people who are unable to access care, education and knowledge,” explained Frisch.

Inspired by stories of other FLCAs at DC, the professor had envisioned an inspiring and invaluable learning opportunity for her students, and the trip exceeded her expectations.

“It really gave the students a wide range of experiences,” she said. “We got to experience so much of the culture of Costa Rica. We were eating so many of the foods, we learned so much from our guides about their people.”  

The students were unanimous in their praise of the trip, raving about everything from their lodgings and transportation to the hosts who welcomed them along the way.

“I would describe my experience as exciting and nerve wracking, because you don’t know what you’re getting into. But that’s what makes it fun. That’s what makes it exciting,” said one student, Samantha Barnes.

Her classmate Riley Faith McDowell-Anderson returned from the trip with a new perspective.

“My takeaway from my time in Costa Rica that I’ll bring back to my field of study would be to not judge people so quickly, and to think of the different walks of life that they experience.”

The trip was funded by Global Skills Opportunity (GSO), the Government of Canada’s Outbound Student Mobility Pilot Program. DC students should be on the lookout for their own opportunity to study abroad, according to another student, Diamond Tia Wong-Shaw.

“I would recommend it to any student or any person who doesn’t know much about other cultures, because it was very interesting to experience different cultural values,” she said.


Journalism students gain new perspective at Community Listening event

First-year Journalism – Mass Media students had a valuable opportunity for experiential learning at Durham College (DC) earlier this month.

The ‘Community Listening’ event, held at the new Centre for Innovation and Research, was part of the Voices in Durham project, a partnership between the Regional Municipality of Durham and DC. The theme of the event was ‘reporting on fair and equitable stories in the diverse region of Durham.’

“We’re talking to key leaders in the Region of Durham about how journalists can approach them, how they can tell stories, how to gain trust in their communities, and how to really build rapport and to look for stories that the students wouldn’t normally know about,” explained Journalism faculty member Joanne MacDonald.  

By simulating a press conference, the event allowed students to experience the work of a professional journalist, and each of them had a unique role to play, from moderating the discussion to taking notes and snapping photographs.

One of the guest speakers was Dr. Vidal Chavannes, Director of Strategy, Research and Organizational Performance at Durham Regional Police Service. He saw the event as an ideal opportunity to speak to the future reporters who will shed light on important news and issues.

“I’m happy to participate in any opportunity to connect with young people who are interested in telling the stories of the residents of Durham,” he said. “Any time you’re able to hear other people’s life stories, I think it helps you understand just how different that we are, but also how much we have in common.”

First-year students Bryson Betts and Sunmeet Kour served as the event hosts, leading the discussion before turning the microphone over to their assembled classmates. The panelists touched on a variety of topics, from the importance of inclusive local news to the best way for reporters to approach their communities.

DC’s young journalists will benefit greatly from the experience, according to professor Teresa Goff.

“When you’re working in journalism, you need to know your audience. We want them to feel comfortable going out into the community and doing interviews, but we also want them to understand the diversity of Durham,” she said. “We want to get the students thinking about amplifying voices that we don’t often hear.”

Fittingly, the guest speakers for the event were six community members who are working hard to create change, including;

  • Wosen Beyene, Manager of the Ajax Welcome Centre and Immigrant Services (Community Development Council Durham)
  • Vidal Chavannes, Director of Strategy, Research and Organizational Performance at Durham Regional Police Service
  • Jon Colwell, Visual Artist, Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation
  • Akuah Frempong, Clinical Services Coordinator at Inner City Health Associates, Member of Congress of Black Women of Canada (Oshawa/Whitby Chapter), and Member of Durham Region Anti-Racism Taskforce
  • Lisa McIntosh, Director, Income, Employment and Homelessness Support
  • Raveena Rajasingham, President, Canadian Tamil Congress, Board of Directors

DC Faculty of Business students win second place in national Sports Case Competition

A group of five students from the Faculty of Business made Durham College (DC) history recently during the 2023 Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) PrimeTime Sports Case Competition. The team placed second – ranking above competitors from across Canada with their strategic and innovative business solution.

Sheldon Koufman and Ian Ellis, Sport Management faculty and DC’s Case Competition coaches said the experience of competing at this event is a great way for students to hone their skills, develop and improve their network, enhance their teamwork and resilience, and to try to solve real-world problems they may encounter in the sports business industry after graduation.

“The team had a blend of diverse talents that came together to exemplify a cohesive unit,” said Ellis. “Their dedication to planning and preparing for the competition was truly admirable, and ultimately, their ability to collaborate and a shared passion for excellence culminated in an outstanding result that highlighted the team’s strategic thinking and collective intelligence.”

The MLSE PrimeTime Sports Case Competition is run by seasoned sports executives Brian Burke and Trevor Whiffen and attracts students from post-secondary institutions across Canada. This year, students were challenged with developing a digital engagement project – focused on increasing customer engagement and loyalty for MLSE and its brands.

The DC team strategized and pitched a loyalty program that connects to all MLSE apps and their associated sponsors. Through their proposed idea, customers and corporate sponsors would be rewarded with points for future purchases.

Dylan Foster, a Sport Business Management student and the team’s captain, attributes the team’s success in part to their classroom experience.

“The skills you have to develop to be successful in this program translate very easily to being a successful team. Everyone is on the same page, working towards the same goal and our combination of skills made us a force to be reckoned with,” Foster said. “It was an amazing experience and an honour to compete and to represent Durham College at such a competitive event. The team building and preparation with the team was just as rewarding for me as the second-place win.”